[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 66 (Monday, April 7, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 16628-16629] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-8829] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Discontinuance of Certain Commission Regulatory Authority Within the Commonwealth AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and William F. Weld, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have signed the Agreement set forth below for the discontinuance by the Commission and assumption by the Commonwealth of certain Commission regulatory authority. The Agreement is published pursuant to Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. Under the Agreement, certain persons would be exempted from certain of the regulatory requirements of the Commission. The pertinent exemptions have been previously published in the Federal Register and are codified in the Commission's regulations as 10 CFR part 150. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard L. Blanton, Office of State Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555- 0001. Telephone (301) 415-2322 or e-mail [email protected]. The draft of the Agreement was published in the Federal Register for comment on four separate dates (see, e.g. 61 FR 68066, December 26, 1996). One comment was received which requested that NRC retain jurisdiction over a site listed on the Site Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP) until the NRC license for the site is terminated. NRC expedited the actions necessary to terminate the subject SDMP site license and on March 21, 1997, NRC terminated the license and removed the site from the SDMP list. Appendix--Text of the Agreement Agreement Between the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the Discontinuance of Certain Commission Regulatory Authority and Responsibility Within the Commonwealth Pursuant to Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended Whereas, The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as the Commission) is authorized under Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the Act), to enter into agreements with the Governor of any State providing for discontinuance of the regulatory authority of the Commission within the State under Chapters 6, 7, and 8, and Section 161 of the Act with respect to by-product materials as defined in Sections 11e.(1) and (2) of the Act, source materials, and special nuclear materials in quantities not sufficient to form a critical mass; and, Whereas, The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is authorized under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 111H, to enter into this Agreement with the Commission; and, Whereas, The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts certified on March 28, 1996, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (hereinafter referred to as the Commonwealth) has a program for the control of radiation hazards adequate to protect public health and safety with respect to the materials within the Commonwealth covered by this Agreement, and that the Commonwealth desires to assume regulatory responsibility for such materials; and, Whereas, The Commission found on March 3, 1997, that the program of the Commonwealth for the regulation of the materials covered by this Agreement is compatible with the Commission's program for the regulation of such materials and is adequate to protect public health and safety; and, Whereas, The Commonwealth and the Commission recognize the desirability and importance of cooperation between the Commission and the Commonwealth in the formulation of standards for protection against hazards of radiation and in assuring that Commonwealth and Commission programs for protection against hazards [[Page 16629]] of radiation will be coordinated and compatible; and, Whereas, The Commission and the Commonwealth recognize the desirability of reciprocal recognition of licenses and exemptions from licensing of those materials subject to this Agreement; and, Whereas, This Agreement is entered into pursuant to the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; Now, Therefore, It is hereby agreed between the Commission and the Governor of the Commonwealth, acting in behalf of the Commonwealth, as follows: Article I Subject to the exceptions provided in Articles II, IV, and V, the Commission shall discontinue, as of the effective date of this Agreement, the regulatory authority of the Commission in the Commonwealth under Chapters 6, 7, and 8, and Section 161 of the Act with respect to the following materials: A. By-product materials as defined in Section 11e.(1) of the Act; B. Source materials; C. Special nuclear materials in quantities not sufficient to form a critical mass; and, D. Licensing of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Facilities. Article II This Agreement does not provide for discontinuance of any authority and the Commission shall retain authority and responsibility with respect to regulation of: A. The construction and operation of any production or utilization facility; B. The export from or import into the United States of by-product, source, or special nuclear material, or of any production or utilization facility; C. The disposal into the ocean or sea of by-product, source, or special nuclear waste materials as defined in regulations or orders of the Commission; D. The disposal of such other by-product, source, or special nuclear material as the Commission from time to time determines by regulation or order should, because of the hazards or potential hazards thereof, not be so disposed of without a license from the Commission; and, E. The extraction or concentration of source material from source material ore and the management and disposal of the resulting by- product material. Article III This Agreement may be amended, upon application by the Commonwealth and approval by the Commission, to include the additional area(s) specified in Article II, paragraph E, whereby the Commonwealth can exert regulatory control over the materials stated therein. Article IV Notwithstanding this Agreement, the Commission may from time to time by rule, regulation, or order, require that the manufacturer, processor, or producer of any equipment, device, commodity, or other product containing source, by-product, or special nuclear material shall not transfer possession or control of such product except pursuant to a license or an exemption from licensing issued by the Commission. Article V This Agreement shall not affect the authority of the Commission under Subsection 161b or 161i of the Act to issue rules, regulations, or orders to protect the common defense and security, to protect restricted data or to guard against the loss or diversion of special nuclear material. Article VI The Commission will use its best efforts to cooperate with the Commonwealth and other Agreement States in the formulation of standards and regulatory programs of the Commonwealth and the Commission for protection against hazards of radiation and to assure that Commonwealth and Commission programs for protection against hazards of radiation will be coordinated and compatible. The Commonwealth will use its best efforts to cooperate with the Commission and other Agreement States in the formulation of standards and regulatory programs of the Commonwealth and the Commission for protection against hazards of radiation and to assure that the Commonwealth's program will continue to be compatible with the program of the Commission for the regulation of like materials. The Commonwealth and the Commission will use their best efforts to keep each other informed of proposed changes in their respective rules and regulations and licensing, inspection and enforcement policies and criteria, and to obtain the comments and assistance of the other party thereon. Article VII The Commission and the Commonwealth agree that it is desirable to provide reciprocal recognition of licenses for the materials listed in Article I licensed by the other party or by any other Agreement State. Accordingly, the Commission and the State agree to use their best efforts to develop appropriate rules, regulations, and procedures by which such reciprocity will be accorded. Article VIII The Commission, upon its own initiative after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to the Commonwealth, or upon request of the Governor of the Commonwealth, may terminate or suspend all or part of this Agreement and reassert the licensing and regulatory authority vested in it under the Act if the Commission finds that (1) such termination or suspension is required to protect public health and safety, or (2) the Commonwealth has not complied with one or more of the requirements of Section 274 of the Act. The Commission may also, pursuant to Section 274j of the Act, temporarily suspend all or part of this Agreement if, in the judgment of the Commission, an emergency situation exists requiring immediate action to protect public health and safety and the Commonwealth has failed to take necessary steps. The Commission shall periodically review this Agreement and actions taken by the Commonwealth under this Agreement to ensure compliance with Section 274 of the Act. Article IX This Agreement shall become effective on March 21, 1997, and shall remain in effect unless and until such time as it is terminated pursuant to Article VIII. Done at Rockville, Maryland, in triplicate, this 10th day of March, 1997. For the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman. Done at Boston, Massachusetts, in triplicate, this 19th day of March, 1997. For the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. William F. Weld, Governor. Dated at Rockville, MD., this 1st day of April, 1997. For the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. John C. Hoyle, Secretary of the Commission. [FR Doc. 97-8829 Filed 4-4-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P